Tell Me a Story: Devotions From Time of Grace MinistrySample

STORY #4: Well done! Trained animals need immediate reward, don’t they? Even the very best animal entertainers get their sardines right after their tricks. Kindergartners need immediate rewards too, but you shouldn’t. Still--it is hard to be virtuous when it seems that no one’s looking and no one is keeping track. God wants you to know that he sees and he remembers. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:19-21). The “five talent” servant was ready to report. His business investments and hard work had paid off. His profit for his master far outran simple interest yield. How gratifying it was to stand in his master’s presence and-- • realize that his integrity and hard work had counted for something; • bask in the master’s approval; • hear that this was only the beginning--that there were new adventures yet to come and the master wanted to use his leadership for even bigger things. Do you suppose that God is using earth as a training ground for new adventures in heaven and that he’s building his leadership team for eternity?